


Weirdoes

by bottledyarn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-10
Updated: 2012-07-10
Packaged: 2017-11-19 13:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledyarn/pseuds/bottledyarn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, Zayn was a strange kid, but when Harry meets him again, he's much more normal...and attractive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Weirdoes

**Author's Note:**

> originally by request on my tumblr

            Zayn watched the door half-heartedly, glancing up from his book every few minutes, people-watching the interesting people who entered.  Most of the visitors to the café were young, in their teens or twenties, and they toted laptops.  They bought cheap coffees and plugged in, charging their electronics and using the wifi.

            Zayn liked to make stories for some of the people- the one that was red in the face had just been turned down by their crush of five years, who revealed that they were actually in love with the person’s sibling. 

            Some of his stories were more ridiculous- the young woman with messy hair had been mugged by a gang member on her way here and was sent in with a threat of getting killed if she got help, on the mission of getting coffee for the gang member because they weren’t allowed in the café.

            The day was going fairly boringly. Zayn was eating a multi-grain bagel at noon, having spent the morning there.  Nobody spectacularly interesting had entered, just average people who had average (imaginary) stories.

            But then, as Zayn was about to turn back to his almost-finished book after lunch, the familiar little bell dinged and someone walked in.  They seemed to be the same age as him, with curly brown hair and a slight smile on their face. Zayn studied him for a moment, trying to explain that niggling sensation of déjà vu.

            Zayn realized who the guy was when he glanced over at him, that faint smile still there.  This guy was someone from primary school, when Zayn had still lived inCheshire. 

            His name was Harry, Harry something-or-other.  Zayn couldn’t really remember the boy all that clearly, he hadn’t made close friends in primary school.  Everyone had thought he was really strange, always reading and staying quiet.  

            He was still the same way, quiet and very literary-focused, currently in college for a degree in teaching English…but he felt that he had a bit more skill in navigating social situations than he’d had when he was ten.

            Harry gave him a slight nod as if to acknowledge their eye contact and turned towards the counter.  He suddenly did a double-take, probably realizing who Zayn was.

            Harry got some sort of sweetened coffee concoction and started walking towards Zayn.

            Zayn shifted uncomfortably in his seat- maybe he wasn’t as good with social skills as he’d thought, since he already felt uncertain about himself.

            Harry stood next to the tiny table Zayn was at, a curious expression on his face. “Are you…Zayn? FromCheshirePrimary School?”

            Zayn nodded, reaching up his hand to shake Harry’s. “You’re Harry, right?”

            Harry grinned brightly, looking like an eager puppy.  “You remember me!”

            Zayn nodded again, setting his book down. “You going to college?”

            “Yeah,” Harry said. “But it’s winter break now, so, I’m just having fun and all.  How about you?”

            “College, yeah.”

            Harry stood there awkwardly for a moment until Zayn gestured at the other seat, and he sat down, smiling still.

            “How’ve you been?” Harry asked.

            “Fine.  It’s been, what, ten years?” Zayn said. “Seems crazy.”

            Harry nodded, grinning. “Are you still that weird?”

            Zayn shrugged. “Pretty much.”

            “I remember I thought you were reading stuff about murders, because you’d have this really strange smile on your face,” Harry said. “I suppose that wasn’t what you were reading.”

            “No, it was,” Zayn said, keeping a straight face.

            Harry raised his eyebrows, smiling. “Interesting.”    

            Zayn grinned, taking a sip of his coffee- black, unlike Harry’s sugary thing.  “Yeah,” Zayn said. “I’ve grown out of my murder obsession, now that I’m twenty. Took a while.”

            “You’re twenty? I always thought you were younger than everyone else in our grade.”

            “Yeah…how old are you?”

            “I’m almost nineteen,” Harry said.

            “What are you studying in college?”

            They talked for maybe an hour, trading random bits of information from their ten years from primary school to here.  Zayn wasn’t exactly sure if they were _flirting_ , per say…it seemed that way, but he was never sure. They only got up when one of the café workers told them they had to buy something or get out.

            “It’s been nice talking to you,” Zayn said. “I didn’t think I’d see anyone from primary school again.”

            Harry paused for a moment, his gaze flickering up and down Zayn.  “This is going to sound weird, but do you have a girlfriend?”

            Zayn smirked. “No. Not really my type.”

            Harry pressed his lips together, silent again. “Might I be your type?” Harry asked, half shrinking into himself, expecting a ‘no’.

            Zayn grinned at the younger boy, thinking it was rather funny that the boy who thought he was ‘weird’ and smiling at murder books was now trying to get with him.

            “You might,” Zayn said.  “But to be my type, you have to provide a phone number and a smile.”

            Harry grinned and held out his hand for Zayn’s phone, which he quickly plugged his number into and handed back.

            Zayn wasn’t sure where these words were coming from- he felt strangely comfortable with this boy, and he didn’t know why. 

            “I promise I’ll call you before winter break ends,” Zayn said, pocketing his phone.             “Unless you suddenly decide that I’m a weirdo,” Harry said. “You never know.”

            “I don’t mind weirdoes,” Zayn said. “I’ll call you.”


End file.
